During an underwater launch of a D-5 missile or missile of equivalent or greater weight, the missile creates turbulence and backwash in water through which it passes. This turbulent water will impinge upon a rocket nozzle system. The rocket nozzle system is connected to a rocket motor of the missile. The energy in the turbulent water will put the nozzle system under significant stress. The nozzle system comprises a nozzle and its associated nozzle moving mechanisms and nozzle flexing mechanisms. Such energy of the turbulent water can break or severely damage a nozzle system, absent the disclosed invention.
Elements have been proposed to protect the interior of a nozzle from the effects of energy in turbulent water. However means has not been previously proposed to protect both the interior region and the exterior region of a nozzle, that is a nozzle system, from energy of turbulent water.
The present invention relates to means to protect the interior region and the exterior region of a nozzle of a heavy missile from energy of turbulent water, during underwater launch of the missile. A cover may be used. The cover should be of a sufficient thickness so as not to be broken by energy of turbulent waters created during underwater launch of the missile. However the cover shouild be sufficiently light weight so that after the missile exits the water, the cover can quickly be ejected, to expose the nozzle and not interfere with its ability to accurately propel the missile.
A meltable cover may be used. A melting away of the meltable cover may be performed by hot gases coming from a rocket motor to which the nozzle is connected. The hot gases pass through the nozzle and on to the meltable cover, to melt it. This melting away is accomplished by making the cover of a sufficient thinness so that after only a brief time the gases being emitted from the nozzle will allow a melting of the cover and will allow the missile to be accurately propelled. Meltable material for the cover could be a plastic material. The cover would have a thickness which would be sufficiently strong to protect the missile during underwater launch and yet thin enough to allow missile gases to quickly melt the cover and begin to propel the missile after the cover is melted.
A metal cover may alternately be used. The cover may be ejected from the missile by means of hot gases from the rocket motor. Alternately, the cover may be ejected by an ejection means. One such ejection means is explosive bolts. Explosive bolts can be used to eject the cover from other means that hold the cover onto the missile.